Difference between revisions of "Irina Yamashita"
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==Life== | ==Life== | ||
− | Irina Yamashita was born in Kasama, Japan, | + | Irina Yamashita was born in Kasama, Japan, on May 22, 1857. As a teenager she moved to Edo (Tokyo) to learn the art of traditional Japanese woodblock printing (''Ukiyo-e'') as an understudy at various studios. In 1877, she entered the newly established National Academy for Fine Arts and studied Western painting. Through a friend, Varvara (Barbara) Yamamuro, at the institute, she met Archimandrite Nicholas and became interested in Orthodox Christianity. In 1878, she was [[baptism|baptized]] an Orthodox Christian. Noting her talent as an artist, Bp. Nicholas, in 1880, arranged for her to study iconography in Russia for five years. At that time, her professor at the National Academy, Antonio Fontanesi stepped down and went back to Italy, and she was losing interest in studying at the academy. Quitting the National Academy, she went to Russia by Bp. Nicholas's arrangement and studied at the Novodevichy Resurrection Monastery for women in St. Petersburg, Russia, from 1881 to 1883. In St. Petersburg, he had opportunities to visit Museum of Hermitage and impressed Western style paintings, including Raphael Santio. On the other hand, she had difficulties to have a sympathy toward Byzantine style icons and sometimes even expressed her frustration. In 1883 Bp. Nicholas called back her to Japan in the midst of planned schedule. |
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+ | Then she returned to Japan where she became the principal artist of religious art, including iconography, at the mission headquarters in [[Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo, Japan)|Kanda]] Suragadai in Tokyo. She resided in the headquarter area, in the dormitory of Tokyo Orthodox Seminary for Women. | ||
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+ | Over the ensuing years, Irina produced many [[icon]]s and other religious works and illustrations for the Japanese Orthodox Mission. Her talent and devotion to her occupation was respected among faithfuls. In 1891 she depicted an icon of Theotokos as gift from the church of Japan to the Russian Crown Prince Nicholas, the future [[Nicholas II of Russia]] who visited Japan in that year. | ||
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+ | She is remembered as the leader and forerunner of iconography in Japan. Irina never married and lived a life of [[celibacy]], much in the style of an Orthodox [[monastic]]. In 1918 she retired and went back to her birthplace, Kasama. She died in 1939. | ||
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+ | == External links == | ||
+ | *[http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~machi/toppage.html Rin Yamashita Studies] | ||
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[[Category:Iconographers]] | [[Category:Iconographers]] |
Revision as of 04:02, February 17, 2007
This article forms part of the series Orthodoxy in Japan | |
History | |
Timeline of Orthodoxy in Japan Church of Japan | |
Saints | |
Nicholas of Japan Andronik of Perm | |
Bishops | |
Sergius (Tikhomirov) Nicholas (Ono) Benjamin (Basalyga) Ireney (Bekish) Nikon (de Greve) Vladimir (Nagosky) Theodosius (Nagashima) Seraphim (Sigrist) of Sendai Daniel (Nushiro) of Japan Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai | |
People | |
Fr Paul Sawabe Fr Simeon Michiro Mii Fr Anatoly Tikhai Yakov Tikhai Victor Pokrovsky Irina Yamashita | |
Institutions | |
Holy Resurrection Cathedral | |
Edit this box |
Irina Rin Yamashita, an early convert of Archimandrite Nicholas, later St. Nicholas of Japan, to Orthodox Christianity, was the leading iconographer and painter of religious art for Nicholas' Orthodox mission in Japan. Examples of her works are preserved in many of the older Orthodox churches in Japan as well as in private collections in her hometown of Kasama.
Life
Irina Yamashita was born in Kasama, Japan, on May 22, 1857. As a teenager she moved to Edo (Tokyo) to learn the art of traditional Japanese woodblock printing (Ukiyo-e) as an understudy at various studios. In 1877, she entered the newly established National Academy for Fine Arts and studied Western painting. Through a friend, Varvara (Barbara) Yamamuro, at the institute, she met Archimandrite Nicholas and became interested in Orthodox Christianity. In 1878, she was baptized an Orthodox Christian. Noting her talent as an artist, Bp. Nicholas, in 1880, arranged for her to study iconography in Russia for five years. At that time, her professor at the National Academy, Antonio Fontanesi stepped down and went back to Italy, and she was losing interest in studying at the academy. Quitting the National Academy, she went to Russia by Bp. Nicholas's arrangement and studied at the Novodevichy Resurrection Monastery for women in St. Petersburg, Russia, from 1881 to 1883. In St. Petersburg, he had opportunities to visit Museum of Hermitage and impressed Western style paintings, including Raphael Santio. On the other hand, she had difficulties to have a sympathy toward Byzantine style icons and sometimes even expressed her frustration. In 1883 Bp. Nicholas called back her to Japan in the midst of planned schedule.
Then she returned to Japan where she became the principal artist of religious art, including iconography, at the mission headquarters in Kanda Suragadai in Tokyo. She resided in the headquarter area, in the dormitory of Tokyo Orthodox Seminary for Women.
Over the ensuing years, Irina produced many icons and other religious works and illustrations for the Japanese Orthodox Mission. Her talent and devotion to her occupation was respected among faithfuls. In 1891 she depicted an icon of Theotokos as gift from the church of Japan to the Russian Crown Prince Nicholas, the future Nicholas II of Russia who visited Japan in that year.
She is remembered as the leader and forerunner of iconography in Japan. Irina never married and lived a life of celibacy, much in the style of an Orthodox monastic. In 1918 she retired and went back to her birthplace, Kasama. She died in 1939.